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 We're
Buying A Million
by
Triana and Kostas Garcia
with Greco Garcia
From
Chapter I
Responsibilities
What
We Need to Learn First:
Responsibilities are like a job
When
we are growing up our parents teach us what
to do and not to do. When they teach us to
do the necessary things, they are teaching
us "responsibilities."
Our
responsibilities are like a "job."
If
you do not fulfill your responsibilities at
home, your parents either get upset with you
or they do not give you things you asked for.
As time passes, we learn to do these "responsibilities."
if we want to get permission to do something
or if we want them to buy us things.
As
they were growing up, I taught Triana and
Kostas some responsibilities like brushing
their teeth, picking up the plates from the
table, taking a bath, doing their homework
as soon as they got home from school, having
good manners, and helping around the house
with chores. As they got older the responsibilities
changed a little.
They
learned that if they didn't come through with
their responsibilities, I would not get them
what they wanted or give them permission to
do things.
I
would tell them: "If you do not do your
part (responsibilities), I will not do my
part." Think about this. When parents
don't do their job, they do not get paid at
work. If they don't get paid, nobody gets
upset with them, yells at them or gives them
a time out. They simply do not earn money
to live on. Do you think this is a good thing
or a bad thing?
The
lesson is: "Do you do your responsibilities
at home?"
If
you don't carry out your responsibilities
(job), do you think your parents should give
you permission or get you the things you want?
As we grow older, if we want to earn money,
we learn to do our job (responsibilities);
if we don't do or job, we have money problems.
Now you will hear from Triana and Kostas about
what they have learned about responsibilities
and getting what they want.
Triana:
What do you think parents should teach their
children about responsibilities?
I think that parents should teach their children
to do responsibilities around the house. Like
make their bed, clean up after themselves
after they eat, and take care of animals if
you have one.
If
children don't do their responsibilities,
what should parents do about it?
I think that parents shouldn't give them a
reward or permission and they should talk
to them about why it's important to do what
they are asked to do. When they grow older,
this will help them to be responsible with
their work. If you don't carry out your responsibilities
at home and at school, what happens? Well,
there are different consequences for each
one.
First,
if I don't do my part my dad and mom sit me
down somewhere and they ask me what I did
wrong. At school, there are different consequences.
If we don't do our homework, we get something
called guided study [a second chance]. If
we do something bad in class, we might get
detention. And if we do something really,
really bad, we might get a referral or a suspension.
Also,
if our minutes add up from detentions, referrals,
and suspensions, then we can't go to school
dances or fun activities. I learned that if
I do my part, I do my job, then I get what
I want.
KOSTAS:
Tell us if it is important to do your responsibilities
at home and school.
I think it's important to do my responsibilities
at school and at home because if I don't,
I won't be able to get things that I want.
For example, right now the PSP is what I want;
it's a portable game station and it costs
about $350 with tax. This is what I want,
but my dad says if I buy the PSP my money
will disappear. If I do my part, maybe my
dad will split the money with me. That's why
it's important to do my responsibilities.
Tell
me what some of those responsibilities are.
My part is like a big job. And it has little
jobs, like one of my little jobs is to help
my dad's and mom's life be easier by helping
them around the house. Or like when I get
home, I go straight to do my homework. All
my little jobs add up to one big job.
What
happens if you don't do your part? If
I donŐt do my part, my dad doesn't get mad
at me—he just doesn't give me what I
want.
And
if you do your job, what happens?
And if I do my job (my responsibilities),
I have learned that I will get things and
permission that I want
Do
you think your responsibilities are like a
job?
Yes. Because just like my dad's or my mom's
job, I have little jobs that add up to one
big job. And just like my mom's or dad's work,
they get paid, and I get paid with my allowance.
I also get paid with permissions to do whatever
I want.
What
do you think happens if your parents do not
do their job?
If a parent doesn't do their job, then
they won't get any money and they won't be
able to take their children on vacation. They
could also get into debt and they won't be
able to buy things, like a house or a car
and new clothes for their kids.
What
are you learning from sports? Do you think
sports are like work?
Yes, because you have to do things [responsibilities]
like be at the practices and games. You also
learn to work with people and be responsible,
because your teammates count on you. It helps
to listen be consistent and not to give up.
So I'm learning not to give up, being able
to depend on other people and to not let the
team down. I recommend that kids play sports
because it's fun and my dad says that it will
help you later in life with everything you
do. What you learn in sports can help you
with your business or work.
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